Too Far to Hold
by Fire Element13
Summary: Evelyn is a modern day student of ancient religions who finds herself exiting the Fade alongside Ellana Lavellan with no idea how. With no magic or fighting skills, she relies on her knowledge from her Dragon Age gaming to survive. Doing so she becomes an adviser to the Inquisitor. OC realizes she has to sway events so they follow as she recalls from the game. How hard can that be?
1. Chapter 1

_Evelyn finds herself in Thedas with no knowledge of how or why. Her knack for languages somehow translates in this strange world. With it, she is able to become a central part of the Inquisition. It also doesn't hurt that she knows how the game unfolds. With no magic or fighting skills to speak of, she relies on her knowledge from her Dragon Age gaming experience to survive.. The only catch lies in the fact that she has to make sure the choices the current Inquisitor makes match the ones she made: mages over Templars, exile of the Grey Wardens and... romancing Solas. Logically, Evelyn knew that an absolute guaranteed victory over Corypheus was to stick with the original path she took as Inquisitor. This includes orchestrating the romance option she had played out in DAI: Solas and Lavellan. She rationalized that it might make him easier to reason with after Trespasser, if she was still stuck in Thedas after that. Now if only her emotions concerning a certain apostate elf would stop clouding her better judgement..._

 _All in all, she becomes an unwilling player in Thedas politics and a reluctant matchmaker. But what she finds out about herself will not just rock the Inquisition to its very core but the whole of Thedas._

 _ **Warning** : strong language and possible smut... eventually._

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING DRAGON AGE!**

* * *

I brought the steaming cup of hot coffee up to my lips in a feeble last ditch attempt to keep my eyes open so late at night. I was going through the latest chapter I had added to my doctoral dissertation for the 20th time now and still disliked how it came together. Frowning, I used my free hand to flip a page from one of the many opened books that had taken over my small kitchen table and reread the paragraph. A weary sigh escaped my lips as I glanced back to my computer screen with squinty eyes. I was having difficulty in translating the last couple of passages of the Coptic text. Tsking out loud in frustration, I shut the laptop screen down with more force than necessary and sat back on my not so comfortable chair. I really wasn't satisfied with today's work. I'd have to see my supervisor at the Religion department at the university in the morning to get his help with this. I was finishing my PhD in ancient religions and had chosen to devote my thesis on one of the texts from the Nag Hammadi Library. Yes, it was obscure and not a mainstream choice for a religion student but it had fascinated me since I first discovered it in one of my undergrad classes years ago.

I looked out the far window of my living room and watched as the thunderstorm raged violently outside my apartment, the rain hitting the glass loudly. Running my hand through my long messy mousy brown hair in an effort to release some tension, I pushed myself off the chair and walked over to better see outside. Glancing briefly at the clock on the wall, I noticed that it was well passed midnight but I didn't care. I had gotten used to these long nights.

I sipped the dark liquid, pleased at the familiar bitterness as I casually leaned myself on the wall. Caffeine barely had any effect on my sleep anymore. My body's acceptance to my java addiction was quite clear. I turned slightly and looked around my small apartment, noting the mess I had made throughout the last couple of days. Empty chinese takeout cartons were randomly lying around my small place alongside dirty clothes that were just waiting to be picked up. I sighed loudly, knowing that that was going to have to wait for when I actually had the free time to clean. My eyes automatically went to my ps4 under my TV and the many games whose stories were just waiting for me to discover. But I was nearing the end of my thesis and would be presenting it in a couple of months. I didn't have the luxury to game right now either.

Suddenly lightning flashed brightly momentarily flooding my apartment in white light. This was immediately followed by a loud crash of thunder that plunged me into total darkness. Had this power outage happened during the day, I would have been royally pissed but right now I took it as a sign that I should finally go to bed. To be honest, I was struggling to keep my droopy eyes open.

Placing my empty cup somewhere among the hefty piles of books and articles and I made my way to the only room in my apartment, the bedroom. I changed into my pj's mechanically while I fought back the sudden yawn. Letting myself practically fall into the inviting embrace of my single bed, I wrapped the sheets all the way up to my nose and drifted off to sleep very easily.

* * *

The sounds were the first thing that stirred me from my very deep slumber. They sounded far away and indistinct but quickly I could make out they were women's voices. Ugh, the neighbors were being unusually loud this morning. I made to turn around but something stopped me, namely a solid yet cold weight around my wrists. I tried to open my eyes but they wouldn't cooperate. The more I struggled to move, the more I sensed that my body's lethargy was unnatural, as if it only affected me physically but left my senses intact. I kept trying but it was futile. Just these few feeble attempts at movement had me sweating as if I had just run a marathon although I had remained lying down.

Confusion quickly made way to raw and unadulterated fear. My breaths began coming in quick gasps as panic set in. I had never experienced sleep paralysis before and it was not something I ever wanted to go through again. It felt like that was the most logical explanation but a small, more worried part of me whispered that this didn't make sense due to the simple fact that I didn't feel the usual softness of my mattress underneath me. Rather, I was lying on something cold and rough. I inhaled deeply through my nose and was assaulted by the worst smells that I've ever had the misfortune of breathing. A disgusted sound escaped me as I struggled to focus on just breathing through my mouth. I didn't want to risk catching a whiff of that again! To put it mildly, it was the stagnant stench of sweat, urine and dampness all mixed into one wonderful aroma. I wanted to gag but my body physically couldn't. That was probably for the best otherwise I would be covered in chunks of general tao chicken.

Although I was trying to make light of my current situation, the cold fear gnawing at my insides was pure, indescribable terror the likes of which I had never felt. Something had happened to me while I slept and I could not for the life of me remember what. The only thing I could think of was that I must have been drugged and kidnapped from my apartment somehow! I desperately tried to remember what happened but the last thing I could recall clearly was falling asleep and then nothing. No sounds or sights that could ignite some sort of dormant memory deep within my psyche. It was just plain emptiness.

My breathing accelerated in intensity and I felt myself grow light headed as a result. I knew I was on the verge of losing consciousness but I bit the inside of my cheek hard. I could use the pain to distract me from fainting. The metallic taste of blood reminded me that I was still alive and could do something. I would not allow myself to go down without some sort of fight!

With sheer willpower, I tried to force myself to calm my erratic breathing. If I was going to be useful to myself, panic had to go. Within what felt like hours but must have been mere minutes, my heartbeat settled down to an acceptable degree. Well, as normal as it could be considering just how dangerously unfamiliar my situation was. Next, I needed my body to start responding to my demands. I wanted to open my eyes so desperately but they still refused to move. What had I been drugged with? Elephant tranquilizer?

While I was vehemently swearing inside my head at my body's inability to do something as simple as a twitch, I unexpectedly heard a loud, accented voice boom from somewhere not far from me. Instinct kicked in and I froze like a hunted animal.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you right now?" she asked, her tone did not leave any room for misinterpretation.

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK?

So far I had only assumed that I had been kidnapped but hearing those words broke any bubble of hope I held. What had previously been just conjectures and guesses swiftly became far too real. Oh my god, this was really happening! The realization kicked my adrenaline into overdrive because I suddenly found myself trembling violently. The shaking of my hands caused my wrist restraints to clink together and I found out I was being restrained by something metallic and heavy. A sob managed to escape through my gritted teeth as I finally got one of my fingers to twitch. I had to get out of here!

"I...I... I can't!" someone finally managed to reply, the tremor in their feminine voice conveying the fear they were also feeling.

"You're lying!" the woman yelled, her voice echoing all around me. I then heard the shuffle of steps and another feminine voice asking, this one much calmer, "What do you remember?"

Whoever was being questioned must have answered really quietly because I did not hear their answer. By now the feeling in my arms was coming back and I could tense those muscles at will, even lifting my bound hands off of the ground somewhat. Good, this was progress at least. If they were too busy with that other person then maybe I had time before they came for me.

"Leliana, meet us at the forward camp. I shall take the prisoner to the rift," the first woman commanded. I heard a heavy door open and quick steps pass by where I was. I tensed in anticipation but the steps continued on their way until they disappeared. So I continued to listen attentively to the remaining voices hoping to gain some sort of information. I heard the sound of chains but nothing else.

Eventually my fellow prisoner asked, "What did happen?"

"It would be easier to show you," I heard the woman answer simply. So they were taking her alive somewhere. I waited until I heard their footsteps completely disappear to loudly exhale the breath I had been unknowingly holding in. I had to make this opportunity count! I urged myself to move over and over again like a meditative mantra going through my mind. Eventually, my efforts bore fruit and I was able to roll myself onto my back allowing my bound hands to rest heavily against my chest. Slowly, ever so slowly, I was able to open my eyes and I couldn't stop the gasp that echoed around me when I saw where I was.

The fear that had held me in its grip since I woke up took a back seat to my sudden bewilderment. I quickly shut my eyes tight and fervently shook my head hoping it would make the hallucination go away. I carefully opened one eye silently praying reality would have returned but no such luck. The single fire torch still burned next to the massive wooden door as I remained lying in the middle of what appeared to be a medieval dungeon. I was trying really hard not to lose my frail grasp on my sanity right now.

I managed, after several failed attempts, to slowly prop myself up on one elbow to get a better view of my unfamiliar surroundings. The stonework of the wall and the ground was no modern construction, that I would bet money on. But the state of it all is what kept my attention. Now, I was no medieval expert, far from it, but I was fairly certain that this was authentic. This was no artifact of a distant past; this looked like it was built only a couple of decades ago, not centuries like castles usually were. And obviously, it was still functional.

Where I was from, we had no castles, modern or old. Had I been kidnapped and transported to Europe? What criminal had that time and luxury? I wasn't trying to be facetious but a regular kidnapper didn't have a private jet waiting to smuggle a simple doctoral student to another continent. Airport security was too rigorous nowadays to smuggle an unconscious woman in a crate, at least I hoped it was.

Snapping myself back to my immediate problem, I finally tried to stand but unsurprisingly fell right back on my ass. My legs could still not support me. I wasn't going to let that stop me from trying. I could practically feel the passing of time but even with the dire need to get out, my body refused to do as it was told. I knew I had wasted a lot of time but I couldn't tell exactly how long because there were no windows to let me know if it was even day or night.

Breathing raggedly, I used what strength I had and dragged myself to the closest wall which just so happened to be the one facing the door to my cell. Using the wall as a crutch, I slowly and painfully climbed it in order to prop myself upright. That's when I heard the sound of multiple steps growing louder and closer. I hoped once again that they would pass me by but they did the opposite and stopped in front of my door. _Fucking perfect_! I don't know why I bothered but I looked around to see if there was anything that could be used as a weapon and of course there wasn't, I was in a _prison_ cell. I tried to at least look intimidating but knew I failed miserably. I could just imagine the scene now. All they would see when they walked in was a fidgety mess of a woman struggling to keep her shaky legs from buckling from under her. Oh yes, I was the epitome of threatening.

I heard keys jangle and then the door swung open with a ominous wooden creak. Two soldiers barged in with torches which gave me a great look at their shiny armor and painfully real... _swords?_ They placed themselves on either side of the door, their armor clanging with every step they took and stared straight ahead. My eyes were immediately drawn to the two women who followed after. Their presence made my small cell feel that much smaller with them in it. There was something about their presence that screamed danger. One was taller than the other with short dark brown hair and a scar on her lower cheek that was eerily familiar. The other one had her chin length red hair mostly hidden by the hood she wore. Little alarm bells were sounding in my head but I was too busy assessing the threat to pay too much attention to what they were trying to convey.

I tried to appear calm but my trembling started up again. I audibly gulped and tried to say something but my voice failed miserably. My mouth just opened and closed like a fish out of water. I must have looked like a complete dunce.

After them walked in a smaller woman, her lithe form quite different from the other two. Whereas the previous women had curves and height, this one was petite and svelte. Where she lacked in curves, she made up for in lean muscles. I couldn't help but feel like a giant next to her with my 5'9". Her long hair was pure golden blond with a single messy side braid framing her angular face. Her high cheek bones and big eyes made her look rather dignified. I couldn't help but feel like a peasant standing in front of this woman. I actually had to stop myself from rearranging my appearance. _What was wrong with me?_

Three pairs of eyes assessed me silently. The short haired one glared at me openly, the hooded one looked at me impassively and the blond one seemed to be faintly amused by something.

"This woman was found next to you. It would seem you both exited the Fade together," the short haired woman said roughly, at last breaking the long silence.

The blonde she addressed seemed to mull this over for a bit but then answered with a friendly smirk in my direction, "I guess that makes us Fade buddies."

I couldn't help it but the bubble of insanity I had been unconsciously keeping at bay quite literally exploded at her unexpected joke. Oh and did it ever explode! My laugh started out normal enough I'm proud to say. I clutched my sides and used the wall to steady myself as my laughter alone echoed sharply in the prison cell. I even had tears running down my cheeks at the sheer ridiculousness of everything that was happening. Much too quickly that turned and I began gasping as I struggled to get enough air into my lungs. I bent over as the panic attack I had avoided for so long finally ferociously clawed its way out. I clutched my chest as pain blossomed outward. Eventually, I couldn't keep myself up anymore and I dropped to my knees, the pain of hitting solid ground not registering. I could see black dots clouding my vision and a part of me knew I was going to pass out. I just had enough time to see the small blond coming to crouch next to me, her lips moving but I couldn't hear what she was saying. My eyes finally closed as I fell sideways, blissful unconsciousness claiming me.

* * *

Reviews? Comments?


	2. Chapter 2

It was the sound of birds chirping that stirred me from my slumber. I didn't open my eyes, opting instead to enjoy the last tendrils of sleep that remained. I stretched languidly, delighting in the warm feel of my pillow and blanket. Wow, that had been the most lucid dream I had ever had. I've never experienced something so vividly real in my sleep ever! Quite frankly, I hoped to never go through that again because that had been just too unsettling and real. I'd stick to the regular, fleeting dreams that I was used to, thank you very much.

As I made to turn in my bed to get further comfortable, my knees protested the movement when they ached painfully... as if I had bruised them badly... rather _recently_...

I shot up when realization smacked me hard in the proverbial teeth. My wide eyes darted wildly from one unfamiliar object to the next, realizing that I wasn't in my bedroom, nor in my apartment for that matter. I was alone in some sort of... _wooden hut_? There was a large fireplace burning in the far off wall, the soft crackling of the wood the only other noise besides my harsh breathing. There were only bare essentials filling the space such as tables, some chairs and a massive chest with some random clothes placed on it.

Carefully, I swung my long legs over the foreign bed I occupied, half expecting for further bullshit to rain down upon me from the sky. I slowly tiptoed until I was standing in the middle of the open room all the while looking around to make sure I was truly alone. Once I had confirmed that all was well, I looked down and noticed that I was not wearing my regular clothes but instead some beige linen pants and shirt. I immediately crossed my arms over my chest self-consciously trying not to think of who had undressed me. Slowly, I approached the folded clothes as if they would pounce on me at any second. I was being paranoid, I knew, but that didn't deter me from acting like a weirdo. With one hand, I picked up the clothes very carefully. When nothing seemed to happen, I got closer to the chest and saw that it was just a simple white long sleeve shirt and dark brown pants. I guess these were my spare clothes? It was then that I noticed some socks and ankle high boots on the floor next to the chest.

I gathered that I was expected to change into this prepared outfit. Shrugging, for I had no energy to get angry at whatever this was, I slipped off my loose pajamas and put on the prepared garments. Surprisingly, they were comfortable and actually fit. Now what? I looked around some more and noticed that there was a small mirror hanging near the main door. I grimaced slightly. It was time to assess the damage my time in a dungeon had taken on me. Taking a calming breath, I walked over to my reflection and immediately looked away, my body going as rigid as stone.

"No! Nope! Did not just see that, **not** possible, not happening!" I said trying to convince the empty room, furiously shaking my head in utter denial. My eyes remained rigidly fixated at a point just above the mirror. It must be my tired mind playing tricks on me, that was it, it had to be. The intense tension in my body didn't disperse at my encouraging words. Eventually, I couldn't take the not knowing and with a lot of trepidation, I forced myself to look once more and just stared numbly at my reflection.

The haunted, wild eyes looking back at me were not mine. My eyes had been a normal, pretty blue shade that I had been actually quite proud of. Now it had been replaced with a pale violet color, not quite lavender nor fully violet, but somewhere in between. If that wasn't bad enough, my pupils were surrounded by a bright golden yellow. It was like a case of heterochromia on acid. I stared wide-eyed at my reflection as I slowly moved my head this way and that, praying that somehow it was a horrible trick of the light. To my utter dismay, it was not.

Thankfully, everything else remained the same. My mousy long brown hair hung loose, cascading down to reach slightly below my breasts, as it usually did. I've never been so happy to see my boring haircut in my entire life. My continued inspection assured me that there were no extra limbs or tail for which I was beyond grateful. Eye color change might be explained scientifically but if I had a tail right now, I'd be rocking back and forth inconsolably in a corner somewhere.

My thoughts returned to the weird eyes staring at me. I couldn't understand how this could have happened. Was it a side-effect of some drug or was I coming down with a serious illness? My eyes kept darting back and forth between mirror and wall because I couldn't find the courage to hold my own gaze. They were so unnatural and eerie that it even made me uncomfortable to look at them. Finally, I spun around, putting my back to the mirror and tried to keep as calm as I could. It didn't work.

I felt the incoming panicked screech forming in the middle of my chest, spreading cold in my veins along its wake. I had the presence of mind to clasp both my hands to stop it from breaking free. A miserable muffled moan was all that could escape between my tightly clasped fingers. I couldn't stay in here any longer! It suddenly felt like the walls were closing in, suffocating me with their nearness. I wrenched the door open with more vigor than was necessary, fully prepared to bolt god knows where but once I saw what was outside I wished I had never opened that damn door!

My initial frenzy evaporated when my eyes made contact with the massive _-hole?-_ in the sky. I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight, all my jumbled thoughts now fully focused on the physical impossibility I was currently witnessing. There, before me, was an angry green vortex. Sporadic lightning like tendrils escaped and surged around to intertwine with the dark grey clouds around it. I gaped at the unnatural sight, suddenly feeling very small in comparison. A shiver of fear instinctively ran down my back even though I had no idea what I was staring at.

I eventually managed to tear my eyes away from the horrifying sight and began to notice where I stood. What greeted me was a small village with people going on casually about their day not really paying attention to the hole in the sky as if they were accustomed to it. I saw injured people and soldiers milling about, some people in robes while others fully armored to the teeth. And all of this in the middle of fucking nowhere! There wasn't a single skyscraper in sight, no paved roads, no cars and no one on their cell phones! _Where was I?_ There were just trees and mountains as far as the eye could see. I shivered and automatically wrapped my arms around me when the wind picked up, blowing my unkempt hair into my face. _And of course it was winter!_

Before I could put my chaotic thoughts in order, I saw that I was beginning to be noticed by the people walking around. Some slowed down and even came to a halt as they stared at me without reservation. More and more joined in on the staring. It was like I was standing naked in the middle of a busy highway by the way they were openly gawking at me. I felt absolutely exposed and vulnerable. Not knowing what to say or do so, I simply waved in what I hoped was a friendly fashion. No one waved back.

The awkwardness of this stare-off was becoming too much. No one said anything out loud but I could hear random whispering starting up which only brought back some bad high school memories. Finally, an accented voice I was beginning to recognize commanded loudly from behind somewhere, "Stand aside."

The crowd parted obediently and I saw the short haired woman from before approach me with two men following her, albeit at a distance. She was the only one to reach me.

"You are finally awake," she said dispassionately, as if she were merely commenting on the dreadful state of the weather. She crossed her arms as she stood before me, her rigid posture barely concealing her disdain. I just stared at her in silence for I was scared anything else would turn her contempt on me. In the light of day she resembled someone I had seen before but couldn't put my finger on it. Was it a student from one of my classes? She had her sword strapped to her hip and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of person carried one around in this day and age. Was I in a Renaissance fair?

She deliberately ignored my stunned expression as she continued in a harsher tone, "If it had been solely up to me, you would be locked up in the dungeon until we can properly establish your role at the Conclave. However," the armed woman made a noise either in frustration or disgust. "It is not. Know that I will have my eye on you at all times. If you so much as blink wrong, I will have you chained and thrown back in that cell." My mouth went dry as I felt her threat sink in all the way down to my bones. She meant every word, of that I had no doubt.

"That being said, your presence is requested at the Chantry." Although her mouth said requested, her tone most definitely implied demanded. If she thought she was making sense to me then she was going to be sorely disappointed. But I nodded nervously regardless and watched her as she strode towards the big church looking building in the distance. By now, the crowd had dispersed, their curiosity seemingly satiated for now. It was finally then that the two men approached me. Again, I was struck by a sense of familiarity. But that was quickly replaced with complete and utter shock because one seemed to be a dwarf and the other an elf, pointy ears and all. I dug my fingernails painfully into my arms hoping that was finally the nudge I needed to wake up seeing that I had just realized where I was: _Haven from Dragon Age_. That meant that that huge hole in the sky was the Breach. Ladies and gentlemen, my mind had officially left the building.

* * *

Varric and Solas stopped in front of me, each eyeing me in their own way. Varric was more open in his scrutiny of me whereas Solas remained impassive but relatively relaxed. Varric's short stocky stature was indeed impressive. I couldn't help but stare as he crossed his huge arms over his chest. Compared to mine, his were like tree trunks. Height wise, he came to below my chest which is already taller than I had thought he was in the game.

In stark contrast to Varric's stocky form, Solas was tall and lean but in a surprisingly muscular way. Not bulky like Varric but still in better shape than I had ever been. Once again, I was surprised that with my height the top of my head only reached up to the elf's eyes. And what eyes! His were a dark steely grey with an intense quality to them that I have seldom encountered before. Maybe it was because of what I already knew about him thanks to the game, but those eyes silently spoke to me of all they had seen throughout their long, painful lifetime. Solas noticed my unabashed staring at him as he coked an eyebrow. Embarrassed, I tore my eyes away and focused on Varric.

"So," Varric said crossing his arms over his hairy chest, eyeing me up and down, "You're the other one who physically walked the Fade and lived to tell the tale."

His voice snapped me out of my inner musings and I returned my unblinking stare to Varric. I just moved my head up and down in a very slow nod. My brain was furiously trying to catch up to current events and was having a slow time comprehending how video game characters were talking to me. It was only now that I realized that we weren't speaking English. In fact, I was able to fluently converse in some unknown language I knew I had never learned. My right eye twitched visibly.

One of Varric's eyebrows lifted up slightly but my lack of response didn't deter him. "My name is Varric, rogue and storyteller extraordinaire. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Solas took this as a cue to introduce himself as well. With a slight bow of his head, he simply said, "am Solas."

I wanted to say something but I couldn't for the life of me form any words. I was too busy crazily screaming _'I'm in Thedas'_ over and over in my head to hear anything else they could have been saying! I just kept switching my glassy gaze between Varric' and Solas' faces. Although I had my mouth tightly shut, they must have seen the barely contained insanity in my eyes. A high pitched squeal suddenly began, softly at first and then rising in intensity and I realized too late that it came from me. I saw Solas frown and open his mouth to say something but I cut him off with a raised index finger. He frowned at the rude gesture but I really couldn't care right now.

"If you'll excuse me," I blurted out quickly, a frozen semi-crazed smile plastered on my face. If I tensed up anymore, I would crack under the pressure like ice. I didn't wait for their response as I swiftly turned and marched back to where I had come from, closing the door shut behind me with my one of my feet. Without hesitation I went to the bed, grabbed the lonely pillow nestled there and screamed with all my might into it. I only momentarily worried if this was doing a good enough job of muffling the sound. When I was relatively satisfied that some of the hysteria was exorcised, I tucked the strands of hair that had gotten loose behind my ears and calmly walked back out.

Both Varric and Solas were exchanging a bewildered look when I came to join them. They had probably heard that little meltdown. _Great_. Well, nothing I could do about that now. Hopefully the next impression they got of me would be better.

"Nice to meet you," I said a little breathlessly as I stopped to stand in front of both with a more relaxed smile this time around. Screaming one's lungs out did wonders apparently. Since everything was out of my control at the moment, I was going to ignore the loud and obvious fact that this whole situation made no sense until I could properly think things through. I could not spend the day screaming into unsuspecting pillows after all. So until such a time, I was just going to go with it. Long live compartmentalization.

"My name is Evelyn. My friends call me Evey for short."

Varric and Solas were looking at me with obvious concern but Varric was the first to break the silence. "I guess Cassandra's dungeon special took its toll on you," he commented with a slight snicker. "Don't take it personally, she threatens everyone with imprisonment the first time she meets them. Hell, she mentions it to me at least once a day." Ah yes, Varric and Cassandra's love hate relationship, well mostly hate.

"If that was her special treatment than I would hate to be on the receiving end of her unwelcome party," I said nervously.

Varric chuckled softly and nodded. "Unfortunately, that's the only side I'm acquainted with."

Having the Seeker's anger directed at me personally was something my gaming experience did not prepare me for. That woman had an intense dislike of me and she could not care less that I knew it. I think she rather preferred me knowing.

"I do not mean to interrupt, but they are expecting you at the Chantry, Evelyn. You wouldn't want to keep the Seeker waiting," Solas reminded me politely.

Right. I looked in the direction Cassandra had gone and felt suddenly very nervous. It must have shown because Varric said to me, "You'll do fine. Just give Cassandra a wide berth in case she lunges for you if you tell her something she doesn't want to hear."

"That actually does not make me feel any better Varric," I said with a barely restrained groan as I shivered as another gust of wind went through my clothes. They, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind the cold.

At those very encouraging words, I began walking towards Haven's Chantry, feeling an invisible noose tightening around my neck at every step. The closer I got to the formidable building, the more nauseous I became as the uncertainty of what awaited me behind those massive closed doors sunk in. My gut told me that once I went through, things were probably not going to get any better.


	3. Chapter 3

Any ideas, names or quotes that I use from pop culture, be it from movies or books DO NOT BELONG TO ME!

* * *

The inside of the Chantry was like walking back in time. I gawked openly like a first time tourist as I marveled at the simple beauty of the place. The warm glow of the candles and braziers made the place feel both mysterious and haunting. The lack of electricity was a bit unsettling though. I instantly felt out of place as people rushed around me, their determination clear in their steps. With the looming threats of a mage-Templar war and a gaping hole in the sky, they were showing themselves to be resilient and strong, with a remarkable willingness to move forward. If only they knew what else was coming their way. That very thought made me stop dead in my tracks. I _alone_ knew exactly what would happen... I _alone_ knew all the twists and turns the Inquisition would face. More importantly, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the worst was yet to come.

This new insight was like a punch in the stomach. Needing a moment to compose myself, I made my way to a secluded corner away from the majority of prying eyes. With a shaky exhale, I leaned my forehead against the coolness of the stone. The realization that it was absolutely vital that I remembered how I had played the game gnawed at my insides. What I could distinctly remember was choosing the mages over the Templars and exiling the wardens. The rest I couldn't remember off the top of my head right now.

But what would I do if the Inquisitor chose the Templars over the mages or kept the wardens? _Damnit_! Why hadn't I replayed the game with the alternative decisions? Oh right, because I had been romancing Solas. After the events of Trespasser, let's just say I wasn't as enthused to replay knowing his true identity. It had felt like a betrayal strangely enough.

There had to be a way to convince the Inquisitor and her advisers to my route. To do so, I just couldn't stand idly by and let them take other courses of action. I had to actively seek to enforce my playthrough. Forcing myself into Ellana's inner circle was going to be a challenge but had to be done, somehow. Anything contrary to that would leave more possibilities open that I was comfortable with. Hell, I didn't even know which people to trust on the Templar side. At least I knew not to trust Magister Alexius. All this lead me to one uncomfortable conclusion: I had to get directly involved in the main story line. I began hitting my head against the wall as irritation flared up. Initially, I had intended to stay out of it as much as possible in the off-chance that I got myself into a bad situation. Not to mention I wanted to focus all my efforts on finding a way out of Thedas.

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I began to feel the throbbing of an approaching headache. Any relief was going to have to wait though for later as I still had things to do. Idly, I wondered if the Inquisition had already been formed or if they were still arguing with the annoying Chancellor Roderick. Wait, I couldn't think like this! I could accidentally say or do something that had people asking me questions I couldn't really answer.

Just imagine the conversation: _Good question Cassandra, actually I'm not from Thedas or even your universe. Solas, there are no elves where I'm from! Worse, there's no magic or Fade in my world, just science. Oh, there he goes, fainting_. _One more thing guys, your universe was created by video game programmers! Do you have a word for programmer in Thedas? Either way, that makes you all NOT REAL!_ Yeah, definitely had to watch my mouth otherwise I'd be burning at the stake before the day was done.

With a stifled groan, I reluctantly pushed myself off the wall. Rubbing my aching temples, I left the safety of my corner in the direction of the war room. I managed to notice the barely concealed feel of excitement in the air. It would appear Lavellan had been able to close the rift thus giving people hope that there was a real possibility to close the Breach. I also heard the word herald spoken in hushed tones several times as I walked by people whispering among themselves. I was actually relieved she'd been associated with that title. So far at least, everything was sticking to the script.

Inhaling deeply, I stood still in front of the door, dread preventing me from knocking. I could hear voices from within but not the words. I fidgeted with my hands as I stood there, uncertainty rooting me to the spot. Finally, I squared my shoulders and found the courage to knock. I waited with bated breath for an answer, almost hoping for a dismissal. Unfortunately, I heard a man's voice say _enter_. The nervous butterflies in my stomach intensified. That had definitely sounded like Commander Cullen.

Taking one last look behind me, I opened the door and walked in. My entrance did not stop the advisers' conversation as they continued on. They all stood around the huge wooden table. Ellana Lavellan was closest to the door and smiled slightly at me before returning her attention to the rising dispute between Cullen and Cassandra. The Seeker only spared me the briefest of glances from her end.

I took this opportunity to study the Herald. For the first time since prison I saw Lavellan clearly. Straightaway my eyes went to her long and pointy ears. She was the quintessential Dalish elf. One side of her head was shaved while the other had the rest of her golden hair tied in a messy side braid that fell to well below her shoulder. The intricate vallaslin of whatever elven god was displayed proudly on her face. A small pang of pity hit me as I recalled what the true meaning of those markings were. Yet their presence could not distract from her large, forest green eyes, something I hadn't had the chance to notice before. Although her features remained serious as she listened to the dispute going on, I could swear her eyes were laughing. At what, I couldn't say.

"We need more power to strengthen the mark in order to close the breach. We need the mages to ...," Cassandra was saying before Cullen interrupted her angrily. "They are too dangerous! Besides, the Templars could weaken the breach well enough. I know personally what they are capable of."

This close to Commander Cullen, I couldn't help but think of him as rather impressive. Tall and broad-shouldered, he easily filled out his heavy looking armor. He wore it like a second skin. His sharp sword glinted in the light with each move he made, like a silent reminder of what he was capable of. This man was a warrior through and through. Seeing him so completely in control and composed, it was hard to believe he was plagued by nightmares and lyrium addiction. There was a world of pain behind those amber eyes that he hid all too well.

"Well unfortunately, neither group is willing to speak with us at the moment," Josephine added tactfully, one hand holding her writing pad and the other a quill.

The ambassador of the Inquisition always did have a way with words. As soon as she said that, both Cassandra and Cullen remained quiet, some of their initial frustration replaced by this new problem.

Lavellan finally spoke up, "So we have been branded a heretical group by the Chantry, no one is willing to deal with us and I've become some kind of Herald of Andraste. And you," she said turning to me at last, mirth evident in the quirk of her mouth. "Have been branded the Herald's Protector." From the corner of my eye, I saw Cassandra stiffen at that.

My mouth fell open and I almost chocked at her words. " _Me_?" I squeaked. "How?"

Leliana's lips curved up briefly, "It's because the soldiers who found you both said that when you exited the rift, you were holding onto Lavellan as if shielding her from something."

I frowned in confusion. No, that wasn't right, it couldn't be. Only the Inquisitor had physically traveled through the Fade in the game, no one else. There was only one person that should have survived the explosion at the Conclave and she was standing next to me. My previous uneasiness returned full force sending my fledgling headache into overdrive: _I was a deviation_. I had to use one hand to lean on the table as I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. My previous fear of unknown variables was already coming true. I bit my tongue to stop myself from making any noise. There were no pillow to scream into here.

 _What did this mean!?_ Amid all this chaos and unfamiliarity, I had taken some comfort in the fact that, in theory, I knew the progression and fixed events of the game. While everything else was out of my control, this I held to be true. But now? This addition brought a whole new dimension of problems to my already unstable situation. Was this going to alter the events of the Inquisition? Were there going to be other changes more extreme than this one? How would I prepare? Could I even? Was there a possibility that Corypheus might not be defeated because of my presence in Thedas? All of these and more unanswered questions heightened the ever present sense of apprehension I had been carrying since I had woken up.

Cassandra's Nevarran accent broke through my escalating thoughts as she demanded, "What is your name?"

I automatically answered, "Oh right, I didn't have an opportunity to introduce myself. I'm Evelyn, Evy for short."

Lavellan's chuckle surprised me. "That's because you laughed yourself into unconsciousness, I'm afraid."

Of course I did.

Further introductions were made all the while I had to pretend not to know everyone's names and titles. I didn't think I was going to like playing dumb very much.

"What do you remember from the Conclave?" Josephine spoke to me for the first time. "We have the Herald's version but not yours."

"Not much, I'm afraid." I scrambled to recall details from the beginning cutscene. It was going to have to be the inspiration for my make belief recollection since I didn't actually have any memories of being in the Fade. "I was in a murky fog running to a golden woman and then... waking up here, in the dungeon. I do not remember seeing you there though." I spoke to Lavellan, that last sentence almost sounding like a question.

Lavellan frowned deeply, lost in thought. "That's true," she answered somberly. "I do not remember you being there either. When we went to close the rift at the temple, the vision did not show you either."

"Why is that, I wonder?" Leliana's simple question lingered heavily in the air. I had a sense she had done so on purpose.

"Be that as it may, Evelyn did exit the Fade alongside me... _Unless_ the soldiers are lying?"

Ooh, well played Herald. I heard Cullen clear his throat in discomfort before he said, "I do not see what these soldiers might gain from lying. Regardless, we lack enough information to properly ascertain as to what actually happened at the Conclave."

Eventually the conversation steered towards Mother Giselle and how she could be of assistance to the Inquisition. The mission to the Hinterlands was going to be underway soon. In the meantime, I returned my concentration on my new found problem. Eventually, a heard someone clear their throat and I looked up in surprise. Everyone was looking at me and I registered that I had zoned out and missed something.

"Before you leave Evelyn," Cullen began, his honey colored eyes staring straight at me, "What exactly can you do? Are you a mage? A fighter? A healer? We need everyone aiding our cause if we are going to make it through this war."

 _Shit!_ My gaze shifted uneasily around the room. How could I explain, without sounding crazy, that I did have skills but that these were utterly useless out of a 21st century ?

* * *

So without any magical abilities or fighting know-how, it was decided that I should remain within the safety of Haven. Add to that my complete lack of any medical or military knowledge, I would be assisting others with their duties. Such was the fabulous life of the Herald's Protector. At first, they tried to have me work in the stables but I had no idea what I was doing. I've never owned a horse so I didn't even know how to brush one let alone saddle one. Had they asked me to set up a wireless internet network, I was your girl.

Then I was told to aid the healers with the injured but I did not have the constitution for all the blood and gore. Seeing blood in the movies had not prepared me for the real thing. The brutality of some of the wounds that regularly came in was far too much. Broken bones jutting out of open flesh, limbs torn out, people with gaping wounds from demonic claws... God, and the screams of pain... I had great difficulty sleeping afterwards. Needless to say, I did not last the day at the clinic.

The latest suggestion came from Josephine who said that I could try helping the armor master by patching up damaged equipment, namely leather armor. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I've never held a needle before. So I tried it in the vain hope that it would be simple enough. Yet again, I did not show promise here either and I had the finger wounds to prove it. All of my failures though seemed to greatly amuse Varric and Lavellan. During some of our meals together, Varric would exaggerate my latest failure for all to hear, to my complete and utter mortification. Those assembled would laugh as Varric recounted, in that storyteller way of his, my latest misadventure.

The temptation to spill the beans was becoming overwhelming. I thought of passing it off as some hidden magical skill or premonitions that came to me in dreams. At least I would be of real help then. I hated seeing the looks some of the villagers sent me on a regular basis. They did not bother to hide their low opinions of me. To them, I was a waste of food and lodgings in a time of war and survival. I didn't know how to skin a rabbit, or make bread from scratch, or start a fire or even cook without a slow cooker! In their eyes, I didn't know how to do the most basic of things.

After a few days, I found myself unemployed. I was fairly certain the reason I was kept around was due to the unknown connection between the Herald and myself. Until that was explained, I got to stay. So I spent the day just delivering letters and documents between various people around Haven. This is what a graduate education got you in Thedas. The advisers and Lavellan were busy finalizing their Hinterland expedition for tomorrow as it was going to be the Inquisition's first and thus had to be planned perfectly. The world was going to be watching the way this mission was lead by the Herald of Andraste.

Night eventually fell after a long uneventful day of running errands. The silence that came over Haven when everyone slept still struck me as disconcerting. It was like a physical presence, oppressive and all-encompassing in its intensity. As someone who was used to the constant din of cars, planes and people, the lack of noise was disturbing. My footsteps crunched on the freshly fallen snow loudly as I walked aimlessly around the village, only absently nodding to soldiers I passed on my way. The crisp mountain air was intoxicating. Greedily, I inhaled it and closed my eyes momentarily as the cold chilled my lungs.

I paused in my walk to look at the night sky, shivering a bit as the cold crept in through my woolen cloak. But it was worth it for up there was a whole new world full of stars. Each time I saw it, I couldn't help but compare it to the barren sky I was used to back home. Out here, there was no light pollution to mar the purity of the starlight. On my nightly walks, just for a while, my worries made way to wonder and awe. I could almost forget where I was in those brief moments.

Soon, my feet led me towards Haven's gates, a desire to be alone urging me. I passed by the couple of soldiers stationed at the gates but they didn't spare me a glance. To my great surprise, the still air carried the sound of voices over. Pinpointing the direction they were coming from I saw Ellana, Varric and Solas sitting by a bonfire near the tents of the training grounds. I immediately went to turn around to find another spot but Ellana has seen me and was yelling my name, waving me over. Plastering what I hoped was a smile on my face, I walked over to the group. I had really been looking forward to having some time to myself but I couldn't pretend to ignore the invitation.

"Hello everyone," I said, awkwardly standing a few feet away from them. Varric and Solas were sitting on one side of the fire and Ellana on the other. She scooted over to make room on the log for me. I took the hint and sat down, wrapping my cloak tighter around me as a sudden wind began to blow.

"So, what's your story?" Varric asked me immediately when I got comfortable.

"Good point," Ellana chimed in. I almost felt like they had planned this somehow but knew that was ridiculous. "We had just been discussing how you remained a mystery."

"Wait, you were talking about me?" I asked, a bit worried.

"Well, yeah," Varric answered without embarrassment. "I had just finished telling Ellana and Solas about your latest failed apprenticeship and suddenly the conversation turned to how you don't know any basic skills. And I do mean basic here. There are toddlers in Haven who have better chances at survival than you do."

I rolled my eyes at him but he ignored it and went on. "So I came to a conclusion. Wanna hear?" He didn't even wait for my answer as he continued. "I'm thinking you're from some of ridiculously wealthy, noble family with servants for your every whim and fancy. It's really the only way to explain your lack of... utility." At that, I let out a very unladylike snort. I knew he was messing with me but underneath, he was trying to prod the truth out of me. If only I could say that the real reason was that my world was completely dependent on technology.

Truth be told, I did not know how to answer that. It might have been a simple question but my answer was anything but. I tried not to fidget under everyone's attention, especially Solas' even though he remained the most impassive. I directed my eyes to the flames, their hypnotic rhythm settling some of my nerves and I began talking.

"I can assure you that I don't have a single noble ancestor. As to where I'm from," I was going to say from a galaxy far, far away but refrained from doing so. They probably didn't know what a galaxy was and Thedas didn't likely have a working space program as of yet. "A place far away. It is very, very remote," I finished rather lamely.

"This remote place got a name?" Varric added sardonically. I looked up at him then. Under the guise of friendly and open conversation lied the unspoken truth: they did not trust me. Here was this odd woman who had walked the Fade in the flesh and had not volunteered any information as to how she got there or why. I knew that if I were in their place I would be acting the same. Yet this acknowledgement did little to comfort me.

I sighed, knowing I had to make something up. "Rivendell," I answered. I don't know why my mind went to Lord of the Rings, but there it was. At least this guaranteed no one had heard of it. "I am... _was_ ," I corrected myself, a tight ball forming briefly in my throat at the memory but I swiftly stomped it down. "A student of history and languages. I was actually writing a thesis on some ancient text. It's all rather boring," I said with a self-deprecating smile, my voice tinged slightly with sadness.

Out of everyone present, I was surprised it was Solas who spoke up first. "That is not boring at all. Rather, the study of history and its languages is a commendable endeavor, one that is vastly unrecognized in today's world. Which texts are you working on?"

Correction, I should have known the mention of my work would have his attention. His eyes were on me, the curiosity in their grey depths almost tangible. That was only broken when I heard Lavellan and Varric each emit a miserable groan.

"You know I'm all for books Chuckles but even I draw the line at late night discussions on stuffy academic treatises. No offense, Clutz," Varric said in my direction. I tried not to cringe at his nickname for me. "I'd just rather fall asleep **in** my bed tonight."

Ellana smiled slightly at me. "Sadly, I agree with Varric on this one. I can practically hear my bed calling to me."

I couldn't help but admire with a tinge of jealousy how the fire's glow accentuated her graceful elvish features. Just her vibrant green eyes alone seemed to shine like a cat's. I suddenly felt self-conscious when I remembered how my freaky pair has made some people, the more superstitious kind, too uncomfortable to look me in the face. None of my companions had mentioned anything about them yet, for which I was grateful. I had heard some people whispering that I was cursed or that I wasn't human which was silly. I just wasn't from their universe so that technically made me an alien. The fact that I was calmly entertaining such a notion spoke volumes as to my current precarious state of mind.

With that they got up, leaving Solas and I alone. I watched them depart in silence, their footsteps loud against the snow. I felt the previous relaxed atmosphere make way to an air of awkwardness for every time I saw Solas, the words _Dread Wolf_ popped up into my head. Knowing who he truly was made me automatically tense up whenever I was around him, I couldn't help it! When I saw him around Haven I made what I hoped was a subtle detour to anywhere else.

Subconsciously, I was afraid he would somehow be able tell that I knew his true identity. It was an irrational fear but even so, Fen'Harel had been at least 20 steps ahead of the Inquisition throughout the game. I had to close that distance between us because after Trespasser, I was screwed. My foreknowledge stopped at that point. I had no idea what he would do after, how he would go about it and more importantly, how to stop him. I prayed I never got to that part of the game but at the rate I was going, I wasn't going anywhere.

Solas sent me a small crooked smile once they were gone from view. "Was it something I said?" I couldn't help the small laugh that bubbled out of me. He was just so disarmingly innocuous as Solas, apostate mage.

I tried to relax as best I could, hoping he did not see my discomfort. We looked at each other in silence, the crackling of the fire the only sound around us. My sudden awareness of Solas' attractiveness caught me by surprise. The light of the fire bathed his face in mesmerizing shadows that shifted as the flames danced in the wind. I was suddenly struck by the way his usual grey eyes were darker than usual. He suddenly looked every bit the Dread Wolf that would come later on, except his eyes didn't glow blue, they were black. Just seconds ago I sat before the companionable mage but now I envisioned the elven god that lurked underneath.

He must have seen something shift in me because a frown appeared on his features for a mere moment before quickly disappearing. Quickly, I averted my gaze but it was too late to recover. I couldn't tell what he had witnessed but it was enough for him to rise from his seat.

Looking down at my surprised look, he spoke calmly as if he was used to saying it, "You seem wary of me, Evelyn. I understand that among your kind seeing an apostate mage, an elf no less, has that effect."

What the... he thought I was _racist_?!

I got up quickly, determined to clear up this misunderstanding but words utterly failed me. Not a single satisfactory lie or explanation came to my aid. He must have taken my continued silence as an agreement.

"I bid you goodnight," Solas said far too politely as he walked away, leaving me behind.

After a while, I let myself fall back down onto the log with a huff and just stared blankly into the fire for some time. Putting my elbows on my legs, I leaned myself closer to its warmth as I tried to digest what had just transpired. I couldn't tell if I this was bad or if it was to my advantage to have Solas view me this way. Objectively, the more distance between Solas and I, the less likely he was to consider me worthy of his or his agents' attention. I would pass under his radar, so to speak. Yet this realization only made the guilt in my chest intensify. When had I become so calculating?


	4. Chapter 4

Hello everyone! I have not abandoned this story, it's just that I rewrite it at least 50 times because I am never satisfied with the outcome. So here it is, after months of editing. Let me know if the story is becoming too slow. And once again, I own nothing from any movie or game.

* * *

Solas' words kept replaying in my head in a continuous loop, their thinly veiled insinuation bothering me more than I cared to admit. I had intended to go back to my lodgings, shut the door, pull the bed covers over my head and wait for either sleep or morning to come. But instead, I found myself walking in the direction of the Chantry, knowing full well slumber would not be greeting me anytime soon. Besides, I found myself looking forward to these late night visits, particularly to the small treasure of a library inside. The frigid cold spurned me on as I continuously rubbed my arms under my cloak in a futile attempt to regain some warmth.

Still, no matter how hard I tried to block them out, his words remained. It's not as if we were friends or even acquaintances so technically I didn't owe him anything. Then why did this nagging, guilty feeling persist? In any other situation, I knew what I would have done, what any decent person would have done. But here, with everything such as it was, I wasn't so sure. Should I let him continue to think of me as just another prejudiced human or should I try to make some sort of amends? I knew any decision I made in haste could prove to be my undoing in the long run. It was a question I just couldn't answer right now.

A few more hurried steps finally took me to the front of the imposing stone structure. As I opened what I knew would be an unlocked Chantry, I winced as the wooden doors groaned violently, disturbing the stillness of the sleeping village. Peeking inside, I saw that I was alone which was a bit odd for there were usually soldiers stationed here. But I didn't waste time worrying about it since I didn't know enough about their patrols to be able to say if this was unusual. Easily enough, I ignored this and slowly made my way down the hall, glad for the glorious warmth emanating from the braziers slowly seeping into my frozen bones.

Once inside the library, I softly eased the door close behind me and approached the bookshelves, a feeling of contentment washing over me at the familiar sight and smell of their occupants. This was one of the few things here that reminded me of my old life. It was a sign of normality, an anchor in a world where strangeness was my new norm. Ignoring the sudden stinging in my eyes at the thought, I let my fingers lovingly trail alongside the books' spines, scanning for a title that would take my attention away from my mounting feeling of loss. Ever since I could remember, I was a voracious reader. Reading by candle light, on the other hand, was proving to be quite a challenge when one was used to the ease and luxury of electricity.

With a vigor I truly didn't feel, I continued my exploration. Eventually, a book entitled _History of the First Blight_ caught my attention. So far, I had chosen to focus my reading around the early history of Thedas. It was a good a place as any to start to better understand this world and its history. But as I took the book out, a folded parchment paper silently fell to my feet. Frowning, I bent down to pick it up. There was no evident writing on the outside so it wasn't addressed to anyone. It was when I opened it that I saw some very unusual writing across the paper. It was unlike any alphabet I had ever seen. But really, what had I expected?

The longer I looked, however, the more the writing felt... wrong somehow. I don't know why or how I knew this but I instinctively was certain of it. My training automatically kicked in and I eventually concluded that there were in fact various alphabets at work here. Not a single one of the sentences was fully written in the same style, of that I was sure. Even without knowing what I was looking at, my eyes detected various changes in the shapes of many of the words as if each successive one was written in another language. The dense fluidity of one alphabet made way to geometrical, boxy letters which in turn switched to a style of writing that was stylistically somewhere between the previous two. It seemed to be an amalgamation of sorts purposefully written to resemble a puzzle.

I tapped my finger against my lips as I immediately got lost in concentration, my eyes feverishly scanning the letter's content over and over again. The longer I stared though, the more I felt myself zoning out as a feeling of intense deja vu washed over me. My sense of time disappeared as an intense impression of detachment overwhelmed my senses. From some distant part of myself, I felt my skin tingle as though I was being pricked by thousands of tiny needles, their intensity raw and chilling and yet painless. Oddly enough, the sensation brought with it an unexpected sense of calm that made me want to get lost in. For the first time in a few days, I felt at peace. It was like floating in an empty, comfortable void far away yet my eyes never left the paper in my hand.

Inexplicably, I began to feel the meaning of the words as they slowly swirled within my head, like a long forgotten memory tantalizingly on the verge of being remembered. Slowly, I could distinguish nouns from verbs, verbs from pronouns. The sudden realization of being able to translate the foreign words had the violent effect of snapping me out of the trance like state I found myself in. The sensation of returning to my body was extremely jarring and my muscles clenched painfully in response. But just as quickly, it was gone and replaced by such overwhelming exhaustion and nausea that I found myself fumbling for support. Luckily, my outstretched hands easily found the bookcase closest to me and I gratefully leaned onto it. I had to force myself to take deep and steady breaths instead of the wild, erratic ones my body was greedily screaming for. I bent over, my hands holding onto my knees as I tried to keep my breaths steady and deep, anything to keep myself from vomiting. W _hat the hell was happening to me?_

When the feeling of nausea finally passed, I shakily returned my attention to the paper and read the words before me as if it was the most natural thing in the world. If I hadn't been so tired, the fact that I could now read the words would have disturbed me far more that it did at that moment. Simply put, there was no point in trying to comprehend what had just happened because quite frankly, I didn't have the energy to deal with what this could mean.

At first, it appeared to be a list of some sort. It mentioned items, like an inventory list along with some locations around Haven. However, one sentence alone jumped out at me:

 _The Herald's last on the new moon. No more lies. The heretic shall speak no more._

That was eerily cryptic, I thought to myself. But a most unwelcome thought began to slowly creep its way inside my head, one that I didn't really want to contemplate. The heavy implication of what I held in my hands suddenly made me very uneasy. I frowned as I frantically searched my memory trying to remember if this was part of the original game, some forgotten side quest that I was just not remembering. Although if I was being honest with myself, I already knew the answer to that.

Stuffing the letter roughly back into the book in my hand, I quickly made my way out of the library not exactly sure what to do next. After all, what were the odds that I had just uncovered a potential assassination plot?

I must have stood in the vast empty hallway for a while, just staring at nothing, the very image of a dolt as my mind tried to think. Do I tell someone? Was this even a legitimate threat to the Herald? I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't notice or hear someone enter the Chantry. It was only when Solas stood within my immediate view that I finally registered his presence, with a start no less.

He was still dressed in his cloak but didn't carry his staff. Neither one of us said a word at first but eventually his silent and questioning stare got to me. I could tell he was patiently waiting for me to explain but I really didn't know where to begin. His keen eyes eventually came to rest on the book I held protectively against my chest.

"Interesting choice of reading material Evelyn," he said calmly yet with a hint of cynicism that he managed to pull off effortlessly. "Incidentally, might I inquire as to why you are standing in the middle of the Chantry with your mouth hanging open?" My jaw snapped shut audibly.

Trying to refrain from blushing, I managed to say in a voice far steadier than I had expected, "We have a problem."

The silence continued unbroken as the elven mage continued to observe me, his head tilting to one side as if saying go on talk, you ridiculous human.

I licked my lips and soldiered on. "It's just that... I think... that maybe..." Exhaling in frustration, I rubbed my forehead with my free hand, finding myself at a loss for words under Solas' unflinching grayish eyes.

Eventually, Solas must have taken pity on me and added somewhat helpfully and with a heavy sigh, "Very well. If something is weighing on your mind, perhaps it would be wisest to inform the advisers. After all, they are there to... advise in difficult matters," Solas added with a slight curve of his lips. Any other time, I would have laughed at such a pun but found myself just blinking owlishly up at him.

He must have sensed my reluctance to do anything and so silently gestured with his hand towards the door of the inner sanctum aka the war room and I felt my stomach drop to the ground. Just seeing that door made me want to bolt in the opposite direction. Damn it, but I knew he was right. If I didn't have so many misgivings about that note, I would have easily dismissed it and been in bed by now.

Before my brain could register what my mouth was saying, I heard myself utter, out loud no less, "Would you accompany me?"

Unexpectedly, I had the pleasure of seeing Solas' eyebrows shoot upwards as he genuinely looked shocked. Had circumstances been different, I would have taken great joy in surprising the elven god but right now I just really didn't want to face the advisers alone. And by advisers I meant Cassandra. That woman frightened me.

The tall mage cleared his throat a few times and merely answered, "If you wish." If I didn't know better, I'd say I had flustered him.

With a single nod, I turned and walked towards that dreaded room, relieved to hear Solas following behind me. Finally after what felt like eons, I mustered the courage to knock. I waited with bated breath, somewhat taking comfort in having someone accompany me, even if it was Fen'Harel.

Tensely, I half expected, half hoped for there to be no answer and was about to say so to Solas but he waited patiently. An eventual gruff _enter_ was heard. Solas took this as an invitation and let himself in. Around the table were Leliana, Cassandra and Cullen. Josephine was noticeably absent. They all looked at us when we entered, none too pleased to see us.

They all waited as Solas and I remained silent. As if he sensed that I was not going to make the first move, Solas slightly advanced towards the large wooden table and linked his arms behind his back. "Forgive our late night interruption of what are surely important Inquisition matters, but Evelyn has something that she would like to discuss with you," he said getting straight to the point without much ado.

Gratitude would not have been a strong enough word to express what I felt at the moment. He didn't even know why we were here and yet had taken the plunge with me. But that initial feeling quickly turned to suspicion as I immediately wondered if his actions were simply a willingness to help or something more devious than that. A horrible thought dawned on me then: _just how elaborate was his network of spies at this early stage of the game?_

I had been using Solas' taller frame to hide me somewhat up til now so I had no choice but to step forward, feeling the eyes of everyone assembled hone in on me. I gulped slowly, doubt beginning to creep its way into my initial interpretation. They were probably going to dismiss what I said as foolish and irrelevant, the ravings of a madwoman.

"I'm probably overreacting," I began slowly, my eyes darting from one unimpressed face to another. Not a good start. The more I talked, the more I realized I had probably panicked for nothing and I was currently wasting everyone's time. "I was in the library and found a note that seemed ...unusual." As I opened my mouth to continue, Cullen quickly interrupted me as if already running out of patience with me.

"May I?" He extended one gloved hand over the large oak table between us. Silently, I removed the note from between the safety of the pages and handed it to him, noting the familiar scar above his upper lip at this close distance. I saw him read the phrases followed by a deep frown. Eventually, he glanced upwards through his lashes at me as if to say _'you have to be kidding me'_ and then returned his eyes to the paper.

After a few seconds of further silence, he asked with a hint of frustration evident in his voice, "Evelyn, what exactly am I reading?"

Cassandra joined him and read the letter over his shoulder. With a negative shake of her head, she said with a tone that shattered whatever confidence I had had up until that point, "I do not understand it either."

Solas finally spoke up as he moved closer to the table to stand next to me, "May I read it, Commander Cullen?"

Cullen visibly hesitated at first but eventually handed the letter over to the elven mage. Solas either pretended not to notice the wariness the Commander had momentarily shown or was simply accustomed to such reticence. It reminded me of how he had reacted to me around the fire. Although it made for an uncomfortable moment, this tense interaction had reminded me of Cullen's difficult past with mages. I couldn't hold it against him knowing why he had reacted that way. It was only when Cullen wordlessly handed the letter over that the elf finally dislodged his hands from his back and took the offered document. I turned my attention to Solas to see what he would say. At first his features remained impassive until finally, it was his turn to look puzzled. He looked at me with an unusual glint in his narrowed eyes.

"Well?" Cassandra's harsh tone broke the silence that had come over the room.

He turned his attention away from me and looked at Cassandra, his face schooled back to their regular, impassive features. "From what little crude elvish there is, I gather it is a threat on the Herald's life," Solas answered simply, as if the meaning did not bother him in the least. "It mentions soldier patrol routes and locations the Herald commonly frequents." The letter was returned to Cullen. Solas' attention once again returned to me, pinning me under that intense look. " _You_ can read this?"

Meanwhile, Cullen and Cassandra both stared at Leliana in shock, completely ignoring Solas' last remark but not me. I had heard the slight change in his accented voice as if he had just realized a detail of great importance, one that I had evidently missed. _Shit._

"Leliana! How could your spies miss this?" Cullen demanded, anger and horror evident in his tone as he threw the document unto the table. The spymaster fixed him with a leveled stare, not at all bothered by his accusation. I was sure lesser men had shriveled under that look. "We didn't, Commander," she answered in a clipped tone as she walked over to take the letter from where it lay. "We are very much aware of this threat. In fact," here her blue eyes pinned me down. "It was us who put the letter there." I got a horrible sense Leliana was angry.

"What?" said Cassandra as she frowned at the spymaster. I was glad she sounded as confused as I felt.

Leliana walked slowly around the large table towards me, her hard eyes boring into mine. It took everything I had not to back up against the weight of that glare. "We had 3 different translators compose this so our letter would fit this group's code and you were able to decipher it in mere minutes?"

Ah, there it was, what Solas had noticed and I had missed. My insides twisted coldly in alarm as I realized my mistake far, far too late. I should have kept my damn mouth shut and pretended I had not seen anything! Why did I have to meddle?

"So, you are saying that Evelyn not only somehow found your hidden letter but she did something that took the Inquisition the work of 3 people," Cassandra stated, summarizing the facts all too succinctly.

"Precisely," Leliana confirmed. "It took us a while to find the people with the necessary skills to aid us considering how rare knowledge of such languages is in this part of Thedas. That letter is written in Elvish, Dwarven and Tevene, all languages out of common use. Allow me to confirm to you that finding the necessary scholars in Haven was no small feat."

Well, I had officially fucked up. Either I had just inadvertently proven that I was hiding something, which technically I was, or that I somehow knew the code which made me suspicious just based off of that. Cassandra was glaring in my direction as if this finally confirmed her belief that I posed a threat.

"So," Cassandra continued. "We now have reason to believe Evelyn is not who she claims to be." I bet she was already envisioning throwing me back in the dungeon and losing the key.

"Hmm," Leliana said noncommittally. "We may have made a mistake in allowing her to remain so close to the Herald."

I tried to remain calm but it was becoming difficult when the horrible realization that I had nothing to prove my innocence with sunk in. Even if I ran now, I wouldn't get very far. The sense of being trapped was overwhelming. I don't know why but I looked at Solas for help but he merely observed me, his gaze not betraying any sentiment or sympathy. I averted my eyes to stare unblinkingly ahead of me, anywhere than at his open indifference. If I blinked now, the tears I was ferociously holding back would spill over.

"Alright," Cullen said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "We find ourselves in a precarious position." He had put one of his hands over the hilt of his sword, a force of habit he probably didn't realize he had. To an outsider like me, the pose served to accentuate his identity as a Templar, a true and veteran warrior. I gulped. "Let us start at the beginning Leliana, so everyone can follow."

His amber gaze slid to Solas and I wondered if he was about to ask him to leave. Wordlessly, he returned his attention to the spymaster, waiting for her explanation. But he remained silent, probably realizing that it was a bit too late to do so after all that transpired in the war room.

Before Leliana could begin her explanation, I quickly blurted out, "I'm a scholar! At my university in ...Rivendell - _why had I picked this fictional city? It sounded so ridiculous in such a situation_ \- I uhh... It's what I do... or rather did for a living!" I finished lamely

Cassandra grunt of disgust filled the silence after my unexpected exclamation. She was probably thinking that it was all a rather nice coincidence. The advisers looked carefully at one another as if assessing that what I said was worth any consideration.

"Explain," Leliana barked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Simply put," I answered, wringing my sweaty hands together. A nervous tick I had never been able to get rid of. "My specialty lies in languages, specifically those that have fallen out of use, extinct more or less. I basically just translate ancient texts into common tongue." There, that wasn't so much of a lie as it was a vague explanation of the truth. They didn't need to know that the dead languages I knew weren't from Thedas. Although this apparently now applied to this world as well. Again, I had to force myself from obsessing over this new terrifying development.

"And we are supposed to believe you based on your word?" Cullen asked skeptically.

"No," I replied. "Based on the fact that I was able to translate the letter."

"Fair point," Cullen conceded slowly.

"I still find it odd." Cassandra said. "Why haven't you mentioned this before?"

"It didn't seem important since scholars are so rarely needed in times of war."

"Coincidence does not make one guilty, fortunately," Solas added, almost as an afterthought.

"Let us assume for one moment that Evelyn did find it by chance. Where does that leave us right now?" Cullen asked Leliana. "Considering the Herald came into existence not even a week ago, how organized do you believe this group to be?"

"Not very. From the way they communicate with each other, it speaks more of their level of education rather than actual assassination experience. Still, we couldn't take the risk and ignore it."

The seeker seemed to ponder this. "Was the letter being watched?"

"There are always eyes in the shadows, Cassandra, but they evidently did not consider Evelyn could have the letter in her possession, if that is what you are alluding to."

From the corner of my eyes, I felt Solas scrutinizing my face. I tried not to fidget under his gaze and kept my eyes firmly fixed on Leliana.

"We can make this work in our favor," the spymaster suddenly pronounced, her blue eyes shining as they took on a very intense quality. "Evelyn, follow me."

Not really having a choice, I did as I was ordered, only turning around once to see if Cassandra or Cullen would object. No such thing happened and I slightly relieved that I didn't have to remain there undergoing further questions or accusations. But I couldn't stop berating myself. Not only for getting so involved in Inquisition matters after I had decided to be an inconspicuous as possible but also for greatly underestimating Solas. He was too sharp and far too intelligent to easily be mislead by my feeble lies. I knew now that I had to truly watch my back around him. Somehow I just knew that out of everyone in Haven, he was the least convinced by my stories.

"I have heard of your disastrous attempts around Haven," the spymaster started mercilessly, her pace keeping her ahead of me while I trailed behind.

"I wouldn't necessarily say it's as bad as to call it disastrous," I replied, wincing internally. _Thank you Varric for your unnecessary embellishments._

"Nevertheless," she continued, seemingly ignoring my last statement. "You are having difficulty in finding your place here." That was putting it mildly.

"I might have a proposition for you, Evelyn." She stopped in front of the library door and turned around to face me and I almost bumped into her. I couldn't help but stare as the light of the burning braziers cast eerie shadows around her hooded face. As she stood there, her eyes shifted somewhere behind me and suddenly I heard footsteps coming closer. With a sharp intake of breath, I quickly twirled around expecting an attack. There was not one but two soldiers approaching us. They were clothed in simple dark clothes with only a small dagger at their waist. Before I could yell out, they positioned themselves on either side of the door. It finally dawned on me that these were probably the eyes that Leliana mentioned. I looked back at Lady Nightingale with a new appreciation. Wordlessly, she left the men to guard the door and entered the library.

The spymaster seated herself regally behind the desk Josephine usually occupied as she began, "To put it simply, we are at war on all sides. We need any advantage we can get to aid our cause for the sake of all Thedas. The Inquisition is only at its infancy and Maker knows any blow now has the potential to undo all our efforts. It is why I think we can find a way to put your linguistic talents to use for us."

If she had grown a second head right now, I would still not be as surprised as I was at hearing those words It would be naive of me to think that she was doing this out of the goodness of her heart. One thing was for certain with Leliana, she never did anything without considering all the variables first. But she was right, the Inquisition was going to face some difficult trials before it could solidify its position as a true leading force in the fight against Corypheus' armies.

"I am giving you a chance to prove your loyalty to the Inquisition and to the Herald. But do not misconstrue my proposition for leniency." Quickly, her demeanor changed into one of open hostility as her narrowed eyes stared unflinchingly at me. "If I find out you are not who you claim to be, I can assure you Cassandra's threats will be the least of your worries." I merely nodded my acknowledgement for I did not think my voice would work at the moment.

"Good," she replied to my answer, all antagonism vanishing just as suddenly as it had come. "You may retire for the night, I expect you to report to me tomorrow morning. Don't be late." I knew a dismissal when I heard one. Without prompting, I turned on my heels and fled Leliana's presence as quickly as I could. Once outside, I was finally able to exhale the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I practically sagged in relief at the way events had played out, and dare I say, turn out in my favor. I had honestly thought that was it for me. For now though, I had made it through the accusations and come out rather unscathed. Somewhat light-headed from relief, I quickly made my way towards the exit, ignoring the two guards still standing by the door, fully intending to make my hut the last place I visited for the night. My relief was short lived because once I left the warmth of the Chantry, I stopped dead in my tracks as my eyes connected with Solas' back. What was he doing out here alone?

As if knowing I was standing behind him, he began without turning around,"Please enlighten me as to your city, Evelyn. For someone who claims they are from the remotest area of Thedas, you are remarkably well educated, almost impossibly so." Here he faced me, even taking a few steps closer. In the pale moonlight, his angular features were accentuated, almost making it seem he was made of marble. "How does a human from an unknown city come by the rare knowledge of Elven, Dwarven and ancient Tevene?" Although his voice sounded nonchalant, his eyes were anything but. So much for being under the Dread Wolf's radar.

When I didn't answer, because how could I, he suddenly changed topics. "You said you were from... Rivendell?" The word sounding exotic with his accent. I stood rigidly before him, scared beyond words at what he would say next. I opted to remain silence rather than betray myself with a feeble lie because I was in no state of mind to outsmart him.

Without waiting for an answer, as if he had already come up with a satisfying conclusion himself, he walked away in the direction of his lodgings, leaving me alone just staring after him. I could't even begin to guess as to what he was thinking or what he had figured out. The very thought, however, sent chills down my back that had nothing to do with the night's cold.


End file.
